This webinar discusses managing project scope and preventing scope creep. Scope creep occurs when additional functionality is added that was not in the original project requirements, potentially jeopardizing deadlines and budgets. Common causes of scope creep include poorly defined requirements, lack of change control, and gold plating by developers. Scope creep can be avoided by writing a detailed scope statement, ensuring accurate requirements, and establishing a formal change request process. Managing expectations and having a good rapport with stakeholders can help control scope changes.

1. Achieving business excellence
Webinar:
Taking the Creep out of Scope Creep:
Managing Project Scope
April 3, 2012
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
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ITMPI005

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Janet Russac, CFPS, CSMS
Principal
Software Measurement Expertise, Inc. (SME)
jrussac@SoftwareMeasurementExpertise.com
Michael Milutis
Director of Marketing
Computer Aid, Inc. (CAI)
Michael_milutis@compaid.com
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3. Achieving business excellence
About
Software Measurement Exper tise, Inc.
(SME)
• Janet Russac, CFPS, CSMS – Principal/Owner
• Over 30 years experience as a programmer, analyst and
measurement specialist in software application
development and maintenance
• Leads a team of experienced consultants who offer
expertise in:
• Function Point Counting
• Software Measurement
• Estimation
• Auditing
• Training
• Mentoring
• Benchmarking 3

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5. PDU CREDITS
FOR THIS WEBINAR
The Project Management Institute
has accredited this webinar with PDUs
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Topics
• What is project scope, scope management
and scope creep?
• What causes scope creep?
• Is all scope creep bad?
• How can scope creep be avoided?
• How can scope creep be managed?
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Defining Scope, Scope Management
and Scope Creep
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• Project Scope
• As defined by the Project Management Institute
Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK):
• The features and functions that are to be
included in a product or service.
• The work that must be done to deliver a product
with the specified features and functions.
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• Project Scope Management
• As defined by the Project Management Institute
Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK):
• The processes required to ensure that the
project includes all the work required, and only
the work required, to complete the project
successfully.
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• Scope Creep
• Also known as “scope change” or “scope
gallop”
• Definition according to the International Function
Point Users Group (IFPUG):
• Additional functionality that was not specified in
the original requirements, but is identified as the
scope is being clarified and the functions
defined.
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Scope Creep is the primary cause of
late deliveries and potentially "never
ending" projects!
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Causes of Scope Creep
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• Poorly defined project scope in the Project
Statement
• Not clearly identifying what is in scope and
what is out of scope
• Poor requirements analysis
• Not spending enough time gathering
business requirements
• Assuming you know what is needed
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• Poor project requirements
• Requirements are ambiguous or open to
interpretation
• Requirements not fully documented
• Poor project control / lack of change control
• Not having a process to manage changes
• Not following the process to manage
changes
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• Underestimating the Complexity of the
Project
• Failure to use similar projects from the past
to estimate the current project
• Not Involving Users Early Enough
• Thinking you know what the users want or
need
• Not involving the users in both the
requirements analysis and design phases
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• Indecisive project stakeholders
• Project stakeholders indecisive about the
functionality and scope they require
• Too many project stakeholders who have
differing priorities and objectives
• Multiple project stakeholders arguing over
prioritization of functionality to be delivered
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• Gold Plating
• The practice of exceeding the scope of a
project in the belief it is adding value
• Developers add new features believing they
will increase customer satisfaction
• These changes consume time and budget,
and are not guaranteed to increase
customer satisfaction
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Is all scope creep bad?
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• Unavoidable scope creep
• Market trends are continually changing.
• Changes to requirements are required to keep
abreast with competition.
• Government / Regulatory requirements could
change.
• These have to be implemented.
• Products out of your control with which your
project must interface could have changes to
them.
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How can scope creep be avoided?
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• Write an accurate and detailed Project
Scope Statement.
• Get the statement approved by all project
stakeholders during project initiation.
• Ensure that project requirements are
accurate, documented and approved.
• All of the project stakeholders must read and
approve the requirements.
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• Good initial estimating and planning
• Well-written requirements are necessary for
good estimates!
• Requirements need to be complete,
unambiguous, detailed and sizable.
• Use historical data for similar projects to
generate the estimates.
• Utilize these estimates in your project plan.
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• A Change Request Process must be
defined and adhered to by all.
• Assess the impact of the change request on
time, cost and schedule.
• Review this analysis with the project
stakeholders.
• Get approval of the change request from the
project stakeholders.
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How can scope creep be managed?
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• Educate the customer / stakeholder.
• Make the customer aware of the implications
of the change request in terms of its impact
on time, schedule and costs.
• Establish a good rapport with the customer
and other project stakeholders.
• A good rapport leads to open discussions
and better problem resolutions.
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• Actively manage expectations.
• Set project expectations with the customer
stakeholders and get the buy in from the
customer.
• Manage the project team.
• All team members should be fully aware of
the project scope and concentrate on
delivering it and nothing more.
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• Have a formal change request process.
• The change request should be documented.
• The business benefit of any change request
should be assessed.
• Cost and time estimates as well as schedule
adjustments need to be done for each
change request so the customer is clear
about its impact.
• Approval from the customer is required
before including the change as addition to
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the scope.

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Conclusions
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• Turn a potential negative into a positive!
• Project team and project stakeholders work as
a team to effectively manage the changes by
not affecting the project timelines and budget.
• Effectively managing scope creep means:
☺Successful delivery
☺Quality product
☺Improved customer satisfaction
☺Happy project team
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33. Achieving business excellence
Janet Russac, CFPS, CSMS
Principal
Software Measurement Expertise, Inc. (SME)
jrussac@SoftwareMeasurementExpertise.com
Michael Milutis
Director of Marketing
Computer Aid, Inc. (CAI)
Michael_milutis@compaid.com
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